Sunday Reflection: Words

When my son was around three years old, he was misbehaving, more than usual. It was just one of those days for me. Clearly at my wits end, I said something like this to him. “If you don’t stop behaving badly, I’m going to take you to the grocery store and leave you there.”

Still to this day, I don’t know why I said those words. It was a stupid scene and (obviously) still haunts me.

His face screwed up.  “Don’t leave me,” he sobbed.

Of course I cried, too, and comforted him. We probably comforted each other.

As you may have guessed, I never left him at the store. I’ve never abandoned him, not even when he made bad decisions. He even mentioned, twice as a teenager, how no one came on the scene faster for him than I did.

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eats its fruit. Proverbs 18:21(NIV)  

I work daily with children whose caretakers tell them they are worthless. You know what? Those children cannot be convinced otherwise.  

The words we say to others can mean life or death.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NIV

What are the words you say? Are they kind and encouraging? 

Blessings

Teresa